FARMINGTON — Two men who admit stealing a safe with $200,000 in it have been sentenced to serve one year in Davis County Jail.
Ogden resident Joshua Cameron Watts, 20, formerly of West Valley City, and Wayne Jerry Clark, 24, of Salt Lake City, appeared Tuesday before 2nd District Judge David Connors.
Both had entered guilty pleas to second-degree felony theft. They admitted to taking a safe out of Gary Turley’s West Bountiful home on Sept. 1.
Both were sentenced to serve 365 days in jail and three years of probation with Adult Probation and Parole. They were also ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and serve 150 hours of community service, to be completed within six months of their release from jail.
Connors also ordered the two to not have contact with each other or Steven Kent Hogge, another defendant in the case.
Connors said both men are on “zero tolerance,” so if they violate their probation, they could end up serving one to 15 years in Utah State Prison, a sentence that was stayed for the jail sentence and probation.
Clark’s attorney, Tara Haynes, said the restitution is still being disputed because “there is not a paper trail.”
Connors set June 15 for a restitution hearing.
Haynes said Clark’s problems stem from a methamphetamine addiction. Since his arrest, Clark has received drug treatment and has stayed away from meth.
She also said Clark has three daughters and that his wife is expecting their fourth child.
Haynes said Clark should receive the same sentence as Hogge, 42, of Murray.
Hogge, who pleaded guilty to third-degree felony attempted burglary, was sentenced in February to six months in jail, three years’ probation with AP&P and a $1,000 fine.
Connors said he “actually doubled what AP&P recommended for Mr. Hogge, who cooperated with the county attorney’s office.”
Turley told Connors that Clark and Watts not only violated his home when they stole his safe, but also caused him to live in a financial and identity-theft nightmare.
Turley’s Social Security card, birth certificate, passport and credit cards were also in the stolen safe.
“I will live in fear for the rest of my life about my identity,” Turley said.
He said the burglary also hurt his relationship with his daughter, who is married to Watts’ brother.
“I probably should get some counseling, but I can’t afford it,” Turley said.
He also told the judge that Watts and Clark have mocked him and his family when they have come to court.
“Clark once made a gun with his hands and pointed it at me,” Turley said.
After Clark was taken into custody, a group of people left the courtroom. A man, who Turley said was Clark’s father, stopped by Turley’s bench.
“I’m so sorry,” the man said. “I did not raise my son to be like that.”
Turley said, “Talk to my lawyer.”
Before Watts was sentenced, he hugged several crying women and men.
Watts was also in tears as he stepped to the podium.
His attorney, Mark Arrington, said Watts’ upbringing “was rough.”
Because Watts’ family moved often while he was a teenager, Watts was unable to get his high school diploma, Arrington said. Watts attended four junior high schools and six high schools in two states.
Arrington said Watts does have an extensive juvenile criminal record but that most violations were related to tobacco and alcohol.
Deputy Davis County Attorney Steve Major said Watts may be the youngest of the three defendants, but “he has the longest record of the three,” adding that four of those juvenile charges were felonies.
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